


and they were truckmates

by natural_singularity



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Chatting & Messaging, Crack, Facebook, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han, Professor Bobby Nash, Trucks, i mean cmon they find love through fb marketplace thats a little bit cracky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23247454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natural_singularity/pseuds/natural_singularity
Summary: Cringing, Eddie continued to stare at the hood of his truck: an alarming neon yellow color, like someone had assaulted it with a highlighter, but neglected the rest of the body. It was an eyesore. It was embarrassing. And why,whywould anyone want a truck that color in the first place?It was time to take action.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 220





	and they were truckmates

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sort of prologue to a 9-1-1 College AU (that might never see the light of day) where Eddie is a vet/non-trad student finishing up his last year and Buck is in his second year. 
> 
> Based on [this post](https://bilesandthesourwolf.tumblr.com/post/190320047375).

Eddie grabbed his book bag from the passenger’s side and swung it onto his back. His week was finally over, his professors had only assigned some light reading, and he was beyond ready to start his weekend.

He unlocked the front door of his apartment, dropped his backpack off inside, before heading back out again to look at his ride. His poor, hand-me-down baby. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He wasn’t surprised he’d been getting strange looks all week.

Here’s how he explained it to his abuela:

He had left the truck parked in his normal spot on Friday afternoon. There had been a thunderstorm with heavy winds that Friday night. On Saturday morning, he had left his apartment for his morning jog, only to find the _largest_ tree limb had cozied up with the hood of his truck. Aggressively.

Fuck.

(Eddie had left that last bit out when he told his abuela the story).

With no room in his budget for a repair (being a college student is great!) he had gone to the junkyard to hunt down a replacement for cheap. And all he could find was _that_.

Cringing, he continued to stare at the hood of his truck: an alarming neon yellow color, like someone had assaulted it with a highlighter, but neglected the rest of the body. It was an eyesore. It was embarrassing. And why, _why_ would anyone want a truck that color in the first place?

It was time to take action.

Eddie pulled out his phone, opened Facebook Marketplace, and took a quick photo of his car. The angle was ridiculous, but fine, it would work. He tried to keep the post as straightforward as possible.

 **Eddie Diaz**  
Anyone down to trade a yellow hood for a white or black one? No dings or anything, perfect condition  
[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/187531471@N02/49682936638/in/dateposted-public/)

He pocketed his phone, headed back inside, and prayed to whatever Chevy gods might be listening that someone, somewhere would want that awful yellow hood.

* * *

About an hour later, after settling into his couch and nursing his first beer, Eddie grabbed his phone from the coffee table and reopened Facebook to check for any replies to his post. He tabbed over to his notifications and rolled his eyes. His friends had found it. And so had his professor from last semester, because of course he did.

 **Bobby Nash** reacted to your photo.

 **Chimney Han**  
Dude what the hell am I looking at? What happened to your truck?? lmao

 **Hen Wilson**  
Oh. Oh no.

 **Chimney Han**  
WAIT **@Maddie Buckley** weren’t you telling me about your brothers truck

 **Maddie Buckley**  
HAHAHA

 **Maddie Buckley**  
It’s your lucky day **@Evan Buck Buckley**

With no other replies yet, Eddie dropped his phone in his lap and started to flip through channels. He had only met Maddie once, two weekends ago when Chimney introduced her as his girlfriend. Kind eyes, gorgeous smile. He had felt confident, almost immediately, that she’d fit right into their group of friends. He jumped slightly when his phone buzzed with a new notification.

 **Evan Buck Buckley**  
**@Maddie Buckley** NICE

Below, the stranger (Maddie’s brother?) replied with a photo.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/187531471@N02/49683765847/in/dateposted-public/)

No. Way. Absolutely not. This was too good to be true. Eddie’s phone buzzed again, this time with a friend request and a new message notification. He immediately accepted the request and opened Messenger.

 **Evan Buck Buckley**  
Hey Eddie! I’m super interested! Do you feel like meeting up tonight for a trade? 

This was probably safe, right? If Chim trusted Maddie, and this was apparently Maddie’s brother Evan (or maybe he went by Buck?), Eddie probably wouldn’t get mugged, right? He snorted. Yeah, 'Buck' could _try_. Eddie eyed his still half-empty beer and the digital clock blinking 6:14PM before responding.

 **Eddie Diaz**  
Sure, why not. Where do you wanna meet?

* * *

Pulling into the agreed-upon gas station, it didn’t take Eddie long to realize that he arrived first. After all, it was hard to miss Buck’s truck. That thing could be turned off and it would still be loud. He backed up into a spot in front of the convenience store, parked, and pulled out his phone again to message Buck. Before he could hit send, he glanced up and noticed the yellow monstrosity turning into the station. 

Eddie climbed out of his truck as Buck backed into the spot next to him. He wasn’t even sure what Buck looked like, hadn’t taken the time to explore Buck’s profile picture or his page. Eddie wondered if Buck was short like his sister, if they had the same brown hair and kind eyes. He came around the front of his truck to meet Buck in the middle and--

Nope. No, Buck looked _nothing_ like Maddie. But _damn_.

The first thing Eddie noticed was that Buck had legs for days. Dressed in dark grey jeans, tight enough to show off a muscular figure, but not too tight that they approached skinny jean territory. Eddie’s eyes traveled up further to take in his fitted, black short-sleeve button-up, before finally reaching his eyes. Familiar kind eyes, but the most stunning shade of blue. _Fuck_.

Buck gave Eddie a gorgeous smile as he stuck out his hand. “Hey, I’m Buck.”

Eddie couldn’t help but return it with a grin. He reached out to take Buck’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, man, I’m Eddie.” Trying to lose his nerves, Eddie looked around Buck to the truck behind him. “That’s, uh, that’s quite the ride--”

“Oh, I know right? It’s ridiculous. Saved up for ages just to buy my own truck and I just couldn’t pass up the deal. It’s in great shape, low mileage, just, ya know--” Buck cut himself with a laugh and gave Eddie a cheeky smile. “At least I’ll never lose it in a parking lot, right?” 

Eddie was done for. He snorted and nodded, before rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Buck was too cute. He wasn’t prepared for this. “Well, did you want to check them for dents or anything? Looks pretty good from where I’m standing--” Eddie blushed, realizing what he’d said.

Buck’s eyelashes fluttered and his cheeks reddened prettily. “Same here.”

Eddie was supremely fucked.

(...Or he hoped he would be. Heh.)

The two men made short work of switching the hoods. Eddie tried not to stare at Buck’s flexing muscles. It was a noble attempt, but Eddie was pretty sure he failed.

“Okay! Cool. Thank you! I think they both look pretty good,” Buck said, grabbing a shop towel from the glove box of his truck. He offered it to Eddie first, and god dammit, Buck was a gentleman too? 

Eddie accepted it with another grin. “Of course. I’m still surprised someone wanted to trade in the first place. You really helped me out, man.” He finished wiping his hands and returned the towel to Buck. “I’ll probably see you around. My buddy Chimney is dating your sister, Maddie?”

“Yeah! Those two are nauseatingly cute together. Have you been to karaoke with them yet?” Buck asked, throwing the towel in the back of his truck.

Eddie huffed a laugh. “No, I haven’t. But knowing Chimney, it was a passionate performance.”

“My sister’s the same. Great singer and, uh, enthusiastic?”

“A great match for Chimney then,” Eddie replied with a smile. He wasn’t sure what else to say, but he also wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Buck yet. A few moments of awkward silence passed, Eddie and Buck continuing to smile at each other, before they both spoke.

“Well, hey, thanks again--”

“Would you maybe want to--”

“--for meeting me.” Eddie paused, realizing Buck didn’t finish his question. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

He could see the tips of Buck’s ears reddening as he tried again, “Uh, I was just wondering… do you want to grab a drink sometime? Or coffee? We could go somewhere on campus? If you’re a student. I mean, I go to UCLA, so--”

Eddie stepped closer and smiled at him, trying to ease Buck’s nervous rambling. “I go there too. That sounds great, but--” He could see Buck bracing himself for a rejection, so Eddie quickly finished, “I’m pretty bad about checking Messenger, do you think I could have your number instead?”

And if he could spend the rest of his life making Buck’s eyelashes flutter and his eyes sparkle like that, Eddie would die a happy man.

* * *

One on-campus coffee date, two dinner dates, and one study date (where they didn’t study very much) later, Buck asked Eddie if he wanted to be his boyfriend. 

Eddie cupped the side of Buck’s blushing face with his hand and leaned in to kiss him softly. “Of course, Buck.” The two grinned stupidly at each other, then kissed again.

The best way to tell their mutual friends, they figured, was to lean into the drama and absurdity of the situation. Photos included. On Facebook, they changed their status to ‘In a Relationship…’ and attached two photos:

The first, a selfie Buck took of Eddie kissing Buck on the forehead, Buck smiling and blushing; the second, their trucks parked next to each other, with switched hoods.

The replies came in quickly.

 **Chimney Han** , **Bobby Nash** , and 5 others reacted to your post.

 **Chimney Han**  
And they were truckmates!

 **Maddie Buckley**  
@Chimney Han omg they were truckmates

 **Josh Russo**  
Love wins!!!

 **Hen Wilson**  
Still a better love story than Twilight

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [Kari](https://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/) for beta reading this lil nugget for me! (here's her [AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/edgarallanrose)!)
> 
> This is my first time posting to AO3 ever and my first time writing in probably ten years??


End file.
